Episode Topic: Theology, Space, and Contemplation

After serving as a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan for nearly ten years – doing parish ministry, criminal justice work, social justice advocacy, and speaking and publishing – William (Bill) Wittland, a 2022-23 fellow with Notre Dame’s Inspired Leadership Initiative, transitioned to a career in business marketing communications. Beginning as an agency copywriter, he eventually became a senior leader and partner at a succession of agencies serving North American and global clients. For the past 15 years, Mr. Wittland has led Vox Strategic, a firm he launched as a brand communications and product development consultancy. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Legal Assistance Center, the Empowerment Institute, and is the Communications Officer for Design at Business, a global association promoting innovation through Design Thinking.

In this episode, we ask Bill to share the unique perspective he gained while at the Notre Dame. Covering topics ranging from the impressive work ethic of his undergraduate classmates, to the keen observations he’s made about the places and social situations where college students choose to study, Bill offers his surprising insights about work, culture, and the future of office design. As always, the hosts even trick Bill into thinking aloud about some of their favorite topics: religion and theology, the philosophy of Aristotle, and emerging (and reemerging) technologies.

Featured Speakers:

• Paul Blaschko, Ph.D., assistant teaching professor at the University of Notre Dame
• Megan Levis, Ph.D., assistant professor of the practice with Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns and with the College of Engineering
• Walter Scheirer, Ph.D., the Dennis O. Doughty Collegiate Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame
• William (Bill) Wittland, a 2022-23 fellow with Notre Dame’s Inspired Leadership Initiative

The Ethics at Work podcast is edited and produced by Nat Todaro and Megan Levis. To learn more about the ethics at work project you can find us at ethicsatwork.nd.edu.

Read this episode's recap over on the University of Notre Dame's open online learning community platform, ThinkND: go.nd.edu/7d23f2.

This podcast is a part of the ThinkND Series titled Ethics at Work Podcast.

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